Licensing your venue

Oxfordshire - the place to marry or have your civil partnership

Oxfordshire sits conveniently between Greater London and the West Midlands and is superbly positioned for couples looking for the perfect venue for their big day.

• Is your venue set in the picturesque countryside, in historic Oxford city or in one of Oxfordshire's enchanting market towns?
• Ceremonies come in all shapes and sizes, and so do venues!  You may have majestic rooms for elaborate formal ceremonies with lots of guests, cosy rooms for intimate family gatherings, rural barns for exclusive use, or a romantic nook for a select few. The possibilities are endless.
• Is your venue distinguished, historic, unique, eco-friendly, alternative, unusual or set in beautiful surroundings

If you can answer 'yes' to any of the above, then licensing your venue for civil marriages could be the ideal business venture for you.

Checking the suitability of your venue

Are your premises suitable?

Your venue doesn't have to be established in the ceremony business or offer reception facilities. Many of our approved venues offer ceremonies only. It is completely up to you to decide how many ceremonies to hold at your venue each year. Some venues limit it to around six each year, whilst others offer ceremonies almost every day.

Before completing the application form, check that you already have the required planning consent and that your premises are likely to meet the requirements on fire precautions and health and safety. If the premises are already covered by a current fire risk assessment and the local district council's health and safety requirements, they may already comply with the guidance. However, we will still have to forward every application to Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service for their consideration. 

What type of premises are suitable?

• Premises must be primarily based on a fixed, permanent building. Civil ceremonies can be held in the open air, marquees, tents or any other temporary structure, but only where there is already a licenced building on the same site.
• Outside structures must be a minimum of 3m x 3m or equivalent.
• No recent or continuing religious connection to the building is permitted and this extends to any furnishings or furniture housed in the rooms for civil ceremonies. Our representative will provide advice at the time of inspection if there is any doubt.
• The premises must be in keeping with the solemnity and dignity of the civil ceremony.

What other requirements are there for premises?

• You must ensure the public has access to the ceremony room(s) without charge for one hour before and during the ceremony.
• There must be access for disabled people. See section below.
• Notices are required to be displayed at each public entrance giving directions to the ceremony room(s), names of the couple, time of the wedding and the room of the wedding so that the public can find where the ceremony is due to take place. 

What requirements are there for ceremonies?

• All venues must provide full details of a “responsible person” who will liaise with the ceremonies officers to ensure the smooth running of the ceremony. A named deputy must also be appointed to fulfil this role if the responsible person is unavailable. The responsible person must be available for one hour before and for the duration of the ceremony.
• The ceremony must contain no religious content whilst the ceremony officers are on site
• Bar areas within ceremony rooms must be closed and screened off for one hour before and during the ceremony. This also applies to outside spaces that may be included on the licence.
• Other functions held in the premises should not interfere with or detract from the solemnity and dignity of a ceremony.

The room(s)

At least one indoor room in the venue must be licensed for civil ceremonies. The room(s) in which proceedings will take place must meet the following requirements:

• they must have a minimum seating capacity for six people
• they must be identifiable as a distinct part of the premises
• food and drink must not be consumed or available for consumption in the ceremony room(s), or approved open space, for one hour prior to and during the ceremony.
• any bar area in the room to be used for the ceremony must be closed for at least one hour prior to and during the ceremony.
• For outdoor spaces and structures, an alternative indoor room that can accommodate all guests should be licensed and available for use in the event of inclement weather. If the outdoor capacity exceeds the indoor capacity, the venue must pre-agree with the couple a plan for where additional guests will wait whilst the ceremony takes place in the alternative internal room.

Access for disabled people

Your venue must be accessible for disabled people including:

• a parking or a drop-off point at the main entrance for people with mobility difficulties
• level access to ceremony room(s) or appropriate ramping for wheelchair users
• handrails to assist people with mobility difficulties where there are steps
• if the ceremony room(s) are not on the ground floor, appropriate lifts should be available
• clear signposting from the car park, and internally, to the ceremony room(s) for wheelchair users.
• Disabled toilet facilities (may be hired per ceremony)

Planning consent

There is no specific planning class applicable. You must consult with the local planning authority and, if necessary, obtain any further planning consent required. We must be assured that any local planning requirements have been complied with at the time you make your application.

How to apply

The application procedure for a licence is very straightforward, and advice is available throughout the process. We are more than happy to visit your venue for a free pre-inspection to confirm that it is suitable and that all your questions are answered before you submit your application.

The licence is valid for three years, please check our, fees page for the current fees for a licence. Once approved, your venue will be included on the list of venues available for civil ceremonies in Oxfordshire for that period of time. 

• You can apply and pay online via GOV.UK
• Licence information pack (docx format, 98Kb)

The process

• Upon receipt of your application, a site visit will be arranged.
• Following the site visit and receipt of payment, a 21-day consultation period must take place. This is advertised on our website for the public to submit objections. To allow time for the above and the associated administration, we recommend you allow a minimum of four months for your application to be processed
• The approval will last for three years. A renewal pack will be sent out no later than six months prior to the license expiry date. If you wish to renew, please return it as soon as possible to ensure the license does not lapse.
• A register of all approved premises will be kept by the council and by the Registrar General. Details of all approved premises are also published on our Approved venues for civil ceremonies page.

Does tacit consent apply?

No. It is in the public interest that we must process your application before it can be granted. If you would like an update on your application, please contact us. You can do this online if you applied through the UK Welcomes service or use the contact details below.

For further information or to be sent an application pack, please contact us. You can also read a summary of the regulations regarding this licence.

Benefits of registering

When your licence has been granted, you will receive:

• an Oxfordshire Registration Service Certificate of Approval for you to display at your venue
• a dedicated Ceremonies Team Leader who will be your first point of contact for any questions, concerns or feedback
• professionally trained county council ceremony officers to conduct and register the marriage or civil partnership, and ensure the ceremony runs smoothly
• Your venue will have its own page on our website, with appropriate contact details and links to your own site. 

Your responsibilities

When the ceremony is booked

• The ceremony must take place at the given venue, and the licence document must be prominently displayed
• The ceremony must take place in a registered room
• If the venue is altered, the paperwork is void
• Marriage and civil partnership ceremonies can take place at any time of day or day of the year (apart from Christmas Day) subject to staff availability
• You must not take bookings which exceed the licence period unless the conditions of approval remain exactly the same (ie same ownership, usage, planning etc and an application for renewal is in hand).

On the day

• Notices and ceremony room direction signs should be displayed at all entrances for one hour prior to and during ceremonies
• Notices to enable people to find their way from the car park/main entrance must be displayed
• Disabled access must be in place
• Disabled parking must be available
• Registrars should have two reserved car parking spaces
• For outdoor ceremonies in inclement weather (rain, snow, high winds or heatwave), the ceremony officers will make the final decision to move the ceremony indoors.

The role of a responsible person

Only those people registered can act as a 'responsible person' or an authorised deputy. Any changes to personnel must be notified to the Superintendent Registrar at Oxfordshire County Council in writing

Deputies must have adequate authority or sufficient seniority to tactfully direct wedding parties and their guests.

The responsible person must be on the premises for a minimum of one hour before and during the ceremony and must be aware of the conditions of approval, including the maximum number of people permitted for each ceremony room:

• No food or drink to be sold or consumed in the ceremony room for one hour before or during the ceremony
• No other activity or conflict of interest should take place which may directly affect the dignity and solemnity of the ceremony, for example, nearby noise or other potential disturbances
• Content and arrangements for the marriage, including any music, must have no religious content or source and meet the approval of the superintendent registrar
• Religious blessings are permitted under the 1994 Act; however, if requested, these must take place as a separate ceremony once the registrars have left the premises
• Total and complete public access, including disabled persons, must be permitted without charge (for example, ‘private’ signs are not permitted).